We Are Responsible For Our Own Salvation

Disclaimer: this is a very religiously driven blog post. Read on at your own will. You've been warned.


      For a long time I struggled with blaming everything on everyone else. I wasn't taking responsibility of my own salvation and how I was teaching my family and how I was setting an example to others.
This is not to say I am perfect at taking responsibility now (I still like Wes to think I'm ALWAYS right :) )
        But I have learned to take responsibility for the most important thing. That thing being my salvation.

          I faltered on this for a while when we were struggling with our ward. While they most definitely were not a great ward, they were/are not responsible for my choices and my salvation.
I also struggle(d) with this on certain points of the direction (both previous and present) given by church authority. I have to remind myself what my mom has told me numerous times "the gospel is perfect, the people are not"
           I think about that now more as my dad has been called as a bishop. My dad (while in 99.9 percent of his life I think could easily be translated to the celestial kingdom) is an imperfect man. He has his struggles and flaws just like everyone else. He was called as bishop not because he asked to be, but because he was called to be by the church. Because of my dad's extreme faith and love for the gospel he accepted this calling.
          My dad has 6 kids, owns a company (which he probably works anywhere from 12-20 hour days on average), he coaches my brothers sports teams, is a husband, and now... A bishop. A bishop for a very big ward.
          I guess what I'm getting at is this man never gets a minute to stop for himself. But he loves the gospel so much he would do anything for anyone in the ward...scratch that...the world. He is just that kinda guy. I think in my 15 years of him being my dad..our family has had maybe 5 Sunday dinners where someone from the ward , or family, or less fortunate than us was not eating with us.
Now why I am I sitting here bragging about this dude?

1. Cuz he is cool
2. Because he would be heartbroken if anyone felt offended by his counsel, held him responsible for their inactivity or choice to leave the church. He is an imperfect man. He can only do his best. I know for a fact he would carry around a heavy heart if anyone put the responsibility of their salvation on his shoulders.

          I was speaking to a great friend the other night at some kind of mix of dinner/dessert/late night snack. I was telling her that I had been writing this post for a while. Mostly to bounce the idea off of her. She told me that she had been speaking to her husband of similar issues. He brought up the fact that on the military bases (at least most I have been on) is a sign. This sign says "Complacency Kills". He explained to her that it can relate to the gospel. This couldn't rung more true to me.
In the military I was taught to be alert and do everything exactly the way it needed to be done no matter what. We even had to carry our cups a certain way in the DFAC while eating. (We later found this was solely to teach us how to hold a grenade). We were taught to never falter in our attention to detail and moving with a purpose.
          How many times have I become complacent in paying my tithing, attending my meetings, fellow shipping, visiting teaching ....the list goes on and on and on?
Well just as in the military if you become complacent, very easily you can become subject to an I.E.D or an ambush. You also could lose the ability to observe or absorb information you may have otherwise. When I mess up on these things I become complacent. I then have lost the ability to receive blessings or revelation I otherwise could have.

          So, to sum up this post which started out as a few paragraphs... What I am trying to say is
You can't blame others for your salvation. Just because you get offended, or didn't agree with counsel given by an imperfect human being doesn't give you a pass to slack on doing what you know is right. People are always going to say dumb things. People are always going to be imperfect. Instead of whining about it our job is to pay attention to detail and move with a purpose.
While I am not at all qualified to write this post as a scolding to someone else. I needed to write it mostly for me. To remind myself I need to keep my butt in gear and do what I know is right no matter what.